Śākyamuni ("Sage of the Śākyas") was a spiritual teacher who founded Buddhism. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha of our age. "Buddha" means "awakened one" or "the enlightened one."

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"If he will but listen intently to everyday sounds, he will come to realization and at that instant see the very Source. These six senses are no different from this true Source. In every activity the Source is manifestly present. It is analogous to the salt in water or the binder in paint. When the inner vision is properly focused, one comes to realize that that which is seen is identical with the true Source."

Any world is an illusion. Even the world we think we have now is not possible - how can it then be said to be real? In Truth, no particular world can exist. In Truth, any world would be unreal.

Truth is the only reality and is beyond words. Truth is not just possible, but is real. It is here already - where else could It be? 'Here' is infinite and is now. 'Now' is eternal and is here. - However, neither space nor time can be said to exist or not to exist. Truth essentially is beyond them both and is unborn and imperishable.

Although Truth requires no work, some of us may want to work hard to see this clearly. Looking inward, we will have to do this solitary work ourselves.

Time is precious. But in the end, neither time nor effort are real and there is nothing whatever that we lack. - We are that which we seek. ~ The Editor

A Spiritual Journey to Russia’s Valaam Monastery

12/13/13

This is another excellent documentary from RT on the spiritual awakening taking place in Russia.

Valaam Monastery (the name means “high mountain ground”) sits on an island in Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe and the 14th largest freshwater lake in the world. The island on which the monastery sits is also called Valaam, and is located in the northern part of the lake—north of the city of St. Petersburg and east of Russia’s border with Finland.

The Valaam monastery is one of the Russian Orthodox Church’s holiest and most isolated sites. You can go here and visit the monastery’s official website.

“The foundation of the Cloister is hidden in the mists of time, but the historical evidence we have allows us to state the the Monastery was founded at the dawn of Christianity in Russia,” the site states. Of special interest are audio files of the monastery all-male choir. Here is an especially beautiful one entitled The Troparion of the Nativity of Christ, recorded in 2004.

RT produced a somewhat similar documentary, entitled “Sacred Road,” which I posted several months ago. If you have not yet seen it, check it out here. It too is quite good.